University Daily Kansan
Friday, November 30, 1979
11
Weary wife
Nola Wright, Tupea senior, withstands a lubur pain in her role as Agnes, one of the characters in the musical "I Do I Do," to be presented by the SCA Theatre Series 8 at Lincoln Center on May 24. (Kenny Winters)
'I Do! I Do!' looks at marriage
'I Do! I Do!' a musical look at matrimoine, will be presented at 8 tonight and 2 p.m. Sunday at the Lawrence Arts Center, Ninth and Vermont streets.
The musical is one of three shows being directed, designed and performed by KU students and Lawrence residents through the Schools Activities Theater Series the artistic arts department.
"I Do I Do," with a score by Harvey Schmidt and book and lyrics by Tom Jones, spans the 40- to 50-year marriage of Michael and Ames, beginning about 1965.
The music begins on the couple's wedding day, when Michael and Agnes are about to discover the "strange new world that you enter when you use a mic." They've been through two pregnancies, two growing children and another woman together, as well as other situations and events that have both threatened and strengthened their relationship.
"ITS EXAMINING one single marriage in a word of marriages." Mokolsky said. "I'll try to show you that it's exploiting and exploring the very real human relationships in the institution of marriage."
Steve Mokiskey, Lawrence graduate student and director of "I Do! I Do!" said he thought the show took a light look at an important topic.
moskotsky said that the musical contained both theatrical and realistic elements and that the actors often talked to the audience
Songs that became popular during the show's run on Broadway in the early 1960s were "My Cup Runneth Over," "Someone Needs Me," and "Toogether Forever."
and came down off the stage to involve the audience in the play.
The characters, played by David Carey, Watertown, D.S., SEN. and Nola Wright, were put to the test during the production. But Makofsky said that much of the aging in his production would be portrayed through acting technique, without the use of
"IT'S MORE of a balancing of the gestures and facial expressions of age," he said. "They've been able to pinpoint the organs that slow down in the aging process."
The play is set in the couple's bedroom, which is dominated by a large fourposter chair and two matching curtained sides. The set was designed by Mokofsy, with the help of Larry Springer, Glaine
Mokofsky also designed the lighting, with the assistance of Richard Delaware, Lawrence special student. Costumes were designed by Franceschello, Startling, graduate student.
Musical director of the cast and the fourpiece orchestra is Jan Hutchison, of the Lawrence High School choral department.
UNIVERSITY DAILY KANSAN
Admission for "I Do! I Do!" and the other SUA students is $2.50 for students and $3.50 for non-students.
Arts and Entertainment
Surprises few in feminist 'Godot'
"Waiting for Godot," a play by Samuel Beckett, is set at night and tented in an amusement park. It was a show at the Theatre of the Lawrence Art Center, Ninth and Vermont streets. Directed by Danielle Wynne, it costumes designed by Eleanor Nyquist-Patton, Padre Island, Texas, graduate student.
BY TIM DOOLITTLE
Kansan Reviewer
Let's be honest—waiting usually is the best option for the SUA product's "Waiting to Go," the company's classic play of the Theatre of the Aburd, female opera with a division to the redemption.
The play remains true to the original in plot and dialogue. Goose (Cheryl Hawlett, Prairie Village junior) watch a dog being eaten at the middle of nowhere for Godot, Beckett's symbolic character of salvation. But Godot has not been able to protect the dog from the pain of the human condition.
The intention was to increase the universality of the play by using an all-
female cast without greatly altering the script. But the tedium of waiting is not altogether avoided.
Hawlings and Froelich, dressed in motley costumes that give them the appearance of a bandit, were encouraged by allowing themselves to become involved with each other, while retaining the abstraction of the characters.
RAWLINGS' PERFORMANCE is out-
standing, and Froelich's facial expressions
make her character believable, even though her lines seem unnatural at times.
Porzone (Korry Kauffman, Golden, Colo,
senior) and her slave Lackey (Robin Manzano,
Piedmont, Calif., junior) encounter
Didi and Didi while they're waiting.
Manzano's performance, the best in the play, almost brings one to tears. Amy Dexr as the messenger and Kauffman also are convincing.
What causes the production to be somewhat wearisome is not the acting, even though the actors are throughout the play. The audience's concentration, which is essential to the unanticipated reaction, can worm down the. The boreomb is not due to the wide set, which includes audience members' reactions to the scene.
The problem with this production is that it does not commit itself totally to a feminist perspective.
DIRECTOR BLAIR may have intended only to prove that Beckett's universal truths could work for women, too. But didn't we know that already? What the play needs is a stronger female interpretation, embodying the tension of waiting for a male to come to the rescue.
Waiting on a road with two stones and a tree can be boring, but thanks to the actors in this production, it can be funny and exciting. One thing is that one. But if the audience expects a surprise from the feminist slant in "Waiting for a long time" waiting for a long time tomorrow.
Lack of emotional intensity weakens 'Wings'
By KEVIN MILLS
Kansan Reviewer
"Wings," by Arthur Kopi, presented Wednesday night and again at 8 p.m. tomorrow night by the St. Theatre in the Cent. Center for Vermont streets. Directed by Timothy Lofus, Florissant, Mo, senior. Costumes designed by Denise Dell Reis, Kisnet
In what could have been billed a double debult, the SUA Theatre Series opened its season with the Midwest premiere of "Wings."
Arthur Kopit's play is a powerful drama, at once frightening, depressing and exhilarating.
The SUA production, however, lacked the intensity needed to make it work.
Emily Silson, a former woman aviator and wing walker, suffers from aphasia in her right arm. Silson uses language disorder that causes its victims to reverse some words, forget others and even forget others' names.
THELMA HELYAR, Lawrence special
student, portrays Silson without the terror
At the play's outset, Silson is plucked from her rational life by the stove's crippling effects. For the remainder of the play she fluctuates between a dream world in which she once again flies and a real world in which she never flies, by aphasia's disorienting symptoms.
aphasia surely must produce. Her voice is lyrical when the situation calls for hysteria and panic. What should be a harrowing delivery is almost poetic.
As the play progresses, Stilson gradually reassembles the fragments of language until some communication once again is made. The performance improves markedly from here on.
Silson's awakening is more plausibly conveyed, and the scenes with Amy, her therapist, are the show's highlight. The show also demonstrates the humanism that demonstrates the rigors of aphasia.
But Rebecca Hines Swain, Sag Harbor, N.Y., graduate student, is simply too young as Anv. Her therapeutic coping is too
childlike to make her believable as a medical professional.
FOR “WINGS” to succeed, the character Sifonius, the play's focal point, must oversee a series of dramatic events. Lofus should have realized that Heyler's performance lacked the emotional highs and lows needed.
Helyar needs to do more than just bring Stilson to she needs to present an intangible and incoherent world in a convincing manner, and this she sadly fails.
'Requiem' to be Sunday
More than 369 KU musicians will join for a performance of Johannes Brahms' "Requiem" at 3:30 p.m. Sunday in Hoch Auditorium.
James Raiston, director of choral accompaniment for the University Choir, Church of Christ Choreal, University Singers, University Chorus and University Orchamus in 80-piece University Symphony Orchestra.
Soleists for the *Requiem*, also known as *Beck Brill*, associate professor of beilis chairman of the department of music performance, soprano; and Antonio Perez, bass.
Ralston said Sunday would be the third time he had conducted the "German Requiem" at KU.
"I think each generation of students should have an opportunity to perform the work because it is such a major choral work." he said.
The University Chorus, under the direction of Ralston and William Anderson, Lawrence doctoral student in choral conformance, began a two-week work all semester, but the other ensembles began rehearsals for the "Requiem" after their fall concerts in October and November. The first joint rehearsal of the chorus, orchestra and soloists was last night.
The concert will be free to the public.
Requiem rehearsal
James Ralston, director of choral activities, rehearses Johannes Brabams' "Requiem" with the members of the com-
BARB KINNEYiKansan staff
biased KU choirs and choruses. The singers, with the University Symphony and two faculty salutators, will perform the *Systems* series. (Lisa M. Dahlstrom)
Music
Spare Time
CONCERTS FOR YOUNG PEOPLE South Junior High School Auditorium
Englebert Humperdick's opera,
"Hansel and Gretel," 1:30 and 3:15 p.m.
tomorrow.
LAWRENCE OPERA HOUSE 642 Massachusetts St.
Kanada, tonight. Benefit for the Headquarters, tomorrow night. The Society for the Preservation of Bluegrass in America concert, featuring Prairie Fire, Murphy's Law and Powder Creek, Sunday night. Sweet Steele, Tuesday night. Jam Session, Wednesday night. Bedroom at night. Dozen open at 8, music begins at 9.
Southern Fried, tonight. Alcemy,
songwriter and performer. Special guest
stairs Utratov, Wednesday
Dosers open at 8 a.m. music begins at 9.
New England Avenue 532.
17 New Hampshire St.
PAULGRAY'S JAZZ PLACE 926 Massachusetts St.
Paul Gray and the Gasile Gang, tonight.
Red Rodney, tomorrow night. Monty Alexander, Tuesday night. Doors open at 8, music begins at 9.
PENTIMENTO CAFE AND COF-
FEEHOUSE
SIMILARITY
Allen Cook, 8 tonight: Elliot Golden, 10
tonight. Steve Pritchard, midnight
Mum and Don Cumberland, 10 p.m.; tomorrow.
John Andrew, midnight tomorrow.
Heartspace, 8 p.m.; Sunday. Paul Reneau,
8 p.m.
STUDENT RECITAL SERIES
Swarthout Recital Hall
Murphy Hall
Kim Solei piano, 8 tonight; Carol
aino alto saxophone, $3.50 per
conductor, 8 p.m. Monday, Sally Shum-
via, vina, 8 p.m. Wednesday, Aviva
Morrison
Rands aim for fame despite hard work for low pay
Bv KATE POUND
Staff Reporter
Hours spent practicing in garages and basements and days spent hunting concert bookings are exchanged daily for low pay performances by rock musicians all over the country.
The Midwest has its share of musicians, all working toward that elusive goal of having a band that can offer others after being older, full-time jobs. They know that success can be achieved, because they have seen bands like Kansas, a group of musicians from Missouri, a nationally known group, make it.
Lawrence has its share of struggling master on all on various stages of the game, but his most iconic acts are Pats' Riddim Band, the Møffe-Rees Band, Thumbs and the Oysters.
THE FIRST two groups, Pat's Blue Riddim Band and the Mofet-Beers Band, are reaching the edge of success, members of the group will perform concert halls to performing throughout the city.
Midwest. One band looks forward to a recording contract and both bands are earning livings.
Beers said his band, which is currently playing in Vail, Colo., began its climb upward by performing at the Hawkeye Hall and the Lawrence Opera House, 642 Massachusetts St. The climb was a slow one, but the group has built a strong foundation.
"Yeah, you can make a living at this business, but you must making it real right now," Michael Beers of the six-member Moffet Beans Band, said last week. Beers described his band as a "light rock band, with some original songs, as well as those of popular artists.
THE LOCAL following, however, was not enough to make the band a success, he said. "We have lost our heart and sent it to the manager of the Red Lion Club in Vail. The result was a booked last night after it hit the shelves."
arrangements for several concerts in January.
The band is booked through December, Beers said, and anticipates making
According to Neil Leff, manager of Pat's Blue Ridgm Band, the Lawrence-based reggae group also is keeping busy, despite a personnel changes and a near breakup.
HOWEVER, HE said, the return of a former member, Robert Zohn, has revitalized the band. It has been performing in the Midwest steadily during the past few years.
"The band was about ready to fall apart two or three months ago." Leff said. "We lost two members and things were just fallin to oicees."
"It's coming together for us now," Beers said. "We're keeping pretty busy."
Regge, an imported sound with roots in the culture of Damascus and the West Indies, is a new genre that invites audiences like the sound, he said, and the group has become a regular act at the festival.
The band also has developed a following in other Midwestern cities. It has played in St.
Louis, Mo., Omaha, Neb., Tulsa, Okla.,
Tonkea and Kansas City, Mp.
Part of the band's sound, Lefa said, is that Johna, who has performed with K.C. and has sung songs for other performers. Zohn's national reputation has helped the group get into the spotlight.
THE SEVEN members of Pat's Blue Riddim Band have just finished an engagement in Memphis, Tenn., and will be playing in Carolina, Dahlone, III, next left. In December, the two-year-old band will play at the Darden Theater in Kansas City, Mo.
According to Leff, the group has received the attention of such recording companies as Casabanca and RCA.
Although the group Thumbs will soon release of its first album, its label won't be that of a major recording company. Steve Anderson said he would like to say the group, which plays rock 'n' roll, will release its album within the next month on a small Nanaoma label, a small Kansas City company.
"WE THINK we can network it ourselves," Wilson said. "We'll use it to some critics and hope it gets good reviews and send it to radio stations for airplay."
"We've picked up a good area following, which is encouraging," Wilson said.
Members of The Regular Guys, a Lawrence rock band formed nearly a year ago, have similar views about recording
Thunbe, which was formed three years ago, has had a bad career. Wissen said, when he first joined the Opera group other jobs. During the last few months, however, the group has played at the Opera.
The group has not begun to tour out of the area, however, he said, because touring requires a booking agent and the backing of a recording company.
"Right now, the whole force for us is to have as much fun as we can and write the best music we can and get ourselfs with it. But right now we can see some definite reward," he said.
companies, John Odell, the group's lead guitarist said.
The band members prefer the freedom of working on their own and think they can reach success less expensively without a company, Odell said.
THE FOUR-MEMBER band has played at the Opera House, the Off-The-Wall Hall and other area concert halls during its short life. Odea said, Members emphasize vocals and melody in their rock 'n' roll music, and their style has been well received in the area.
"There's an interest in our sound, and there is a renewed interest in live music." Odell said, "which has helped develop our following."
The strength of the band's following encouraged members to make an extended play record. The 45 rpm record features a special video, Odel said, and its release date is Dec. 15.
"We can't make enough money to live, but we like what we're doing well enough to fit into our spare time," Odell said.